The goal of this research effort is to understand how an important type of white blood cell, called a T lymphocyte, recognizes the presence in the body of a microorganism or cancer cell. We are also examining how the T cell system avoids unwanted recognition of normal body components and what goes wrong with this control system in autoimmune disease. This research attempts to examine this question at the protein level, to provide a detailed understanding of how the substances making up these microorganisms or cancer cells (antigens) are made visible to the defending T cells. To accomplish these goals, we have examined the structure and function of special proteins termed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules that are essential for antigens to be recognized by T cells and for these T cells to become active.